Quads · Compound movement
Single-Leg Press
A compound exercise for the quads, with the glutes and hamstrings working too. You need a leg press machine.
Primary muscle
Quads
Secondary muscles
Glutes, Hamstrings
Equipment
Machine
Difficulty
Intermediate
How to perform the Single-Leg Press
- Set up in the leg press and place one foot centered on the platform, roughly in line with your hip.
- Keep the other foot off the platform and rest it to the side, so one leg carries the entire load.
- Release the safety catches and lower the sled by bending the working knee, keeping the hips level and square.
- Descend until the working knee reaches roughly ninety degrees, or until the pelvis is about to tuck off the pad.
- Because one leg is loaded, watch that the knee tracks over the foot and does not cave inward under the strain.
- Press the sled back up through the mid-foot and heel, stopping short of full lockout to protect the knee.
Suggested working range: 10–15 reps. Default progression: double progression.
Common mistakes
- •Letting the working knee cave inward under the full single-leg load.
- •Letting the pelvis tuck and the lower back round off the pad at the bottom.
- •Using a partial range instead of lowering the knee toward ninety degrees.
- •Locking the knee out hard at the top instead of stopping just short of full extension.
Variations & alternatives
Swap in one of these when the equipment is taken or the main lift has stalled.
Use this exercise in a program
The Single-Leg Press fits into hypertrophy and strength splits that prioritize quads volume.
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